Flood-fence



(No Model.)

J. W. STORY. FLOOD FENCE.

No. 528,821. Patented Nov. 6, 1894.

itnesses:

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` improvement consists in the novel, sectional' UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JonN- w. STORY, or BLADESTAN, KENTUCKY.

FLOOD-FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,821, dated November 6, 1894.

Application led February 2. 1894. Serial No. 498,874- (No model.)

To alb wiz/0712, t may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. STORY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bladestan, in the county of Bracken and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flood-Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved Hood-fence. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same on a vertical plane, showing, in dotted lines, the .automatic adjustment or elevation of 'the separate and independent gate-sections during freshets or at a high water-stand. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail View of one of the movable and independent sections of which my improved fence is built up, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same.

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to so-called tioodfences (sometimes called flood-gates), used in a regular fence to cross streams or watercourses, in continuation of, and as a part of, the regular fence, so that that portion of the fence, being made movable and self-adjustable, will accommodate or adj ust itself to a rise of water in the stream or water-courseV spanned by the fence, in such manner that it will provide for the passage of the water, ice, and dbris or driftwood underneath it in case of freshets or cloud-bursts, and readj ust itself to its normal closed position when the watercourse reassumes its ordinary level; and my construction of a fence of that type, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. Y

On the accompanying drawings, the letter A denotes a stream or water-course, spanned by my improved flood-fence, which is shown at B. This is supported or suspended upon a rod, or strong and stiff wire-cable. C, stretched taut across the watercourse between two posts, D D, which are firmly anchored on opposite banks, in alignment with each other;

or trees, rocks, or any other natural support may be used, if such exist, as anchorages for the suspension-rod or cable C, instead of posts or artificial supports.

The fence proper, in order yto aord the least possible resistance to the rush of water, ice, and dbris, dac., is madein separate and independent sections, all constructed alike, and one of which is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. From these it will be seen that each section consists of a single post or bar, E, of suitable length and made of wood or metal, but preferably of wood, provided at its lower end with a head comprising a series of short parallel arms or teeth, depending from, and secured firmly to, a crosshead at the lower end of the post or bar E, and connected rigidly to the same by the oblique side-braces F F.

Each one of the long bars E is provided with an eye or staple, e, at its upper end, for the insertion ofthe rod or cable C from which the fence is suspended; and in order to prevent its component sections from sliding or moving sidewise upon the suspensionrod or cable, the bar E of each separate section is confined between a pair of buttons or washers c c, fastened upon the rod or cable C; there being one of these stop-buttons or washers on each side of each separate section-bar E, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The swinging, equi-distant bars E E are so disposed and arranged that the toothed heads at their lower free ends shall be set close together sidewise, in alignment with one another, as shown in Fig. 1. Each section swings upon its supporting-rod or cable independent, in a measure, of the others; yet within a certain limit, only, as the bars E E of the several sections are connected to one another, some distance below their pivotal points, by a flexible, slack, rope or chain, so that, beyond a certain limit, determined by the amount of slack between adjacent bars, all the sections will move in unison.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of my improved flood-fence will be readily understood. Normally, or when the water in the water-course A is at its ordinary/or noroblique position in the watercourse, with their lower toothed ends resting on the bed ot' the stream and pointing in the direction of the current; but when a rush of water occurs, the force of the current, acting against the surface presented by the toothed heads at the lower ends of the posts or bars E E, will tilt the sections upwardly, as indicated in dotted lines; thus permitting the increased volume of water, with any ice, driftwood, or dbris carried by it, to flow and pass freely underneath the free end of the swinging fence without obstruction; bnt the moment the rush ot Water subsides, the displaced fence-bar sections will, by their own gravity, drop back into their former depending, closing position, and thus prevent cattle and other stock from passing up or down the bed of the stream. I

Having thus described my improvement, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States The improved Asectional flood-fence herein shown and described, comprising the suspension-rod or cable C provided with the spacingbnttons or washers c o, in combination with the hinged, independent sections consisting, each, of a bar or post, E, terminating at its free end in a flat, toothed head connected to the lower end of the post by oblique sidebraces; said depending, hinged section-posts E E being connected to one another below their respective fulcrums by a flexible, slack connection; substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing: as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence ot two Witnesses.

JOHN W. STORY.

X/Vitnesses:

WILL A. FIELD, J oHN M. HARBEsoN 

